Automatic stop or cab signal device.



E. M. JONES.

AUTOMATIC STOP OR CAB SIGNAL DEVICE APPLICATION man APR.8, i912: RENEWED Nev. 13,19H.

Patented June 15, 191-5.

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wxrmcssas= 4, P lvf Hm MW E. M. JONES.

AUTOMATIC STQP 0R CAB SIGNAL DEVICE. APPLICATION man APR.8. 1912. RENEWED NOV. 13,1914.

Patented June 15, 1915.

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ELMER- M. JONES, (3F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOB T JONES SIGNAL SYSTEM COMPANY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGT I AUTOMATIC STOP 0R CAB SIGNAL DEVICE.

messes.

Application filed April 8, 1912, Serial No. 689,211.

' tion, reference being, had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective mechanism for controlling trains or cars as they pass given points along the track. The mechanism op-- crates on the principle of invariably initiatin the application of a brake or danger signal when ver a track device is passed, and then. if track conditions warrant it, counteracting such application before it becomes effective, otherwise allowing it to be come effective. Reference should be made to my prior Patent No. 1,129,201 issued February 23, 1915, for broad dominating claims on the combination of instrumentalities for performing such operation. The present invention provides a difi'erent, and, in some ways, simpler form of mechanism for carry out such operation. To that end I provide in the present invention at intervals elong ,the traclzway, normally stationary ramps which operate on vehicle mechanism to open an air valve; and I arrange these ramps so that they may be moved to a safety position, where they not only open the air valve but operate on vehicle mechanism to immediately close it. The invention includes both the ramp. or ground device, so arranged, and also the vehicle equipment designed to cooperate therewith.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly sectional, of the ground device. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the locomotive equipment. Fig. 3 is a vertical tran. erse section of the same, as indicated 33 of Fig. 2.

set r1 g first to Fig. 1, 10 indicates one of the rals and 11 the ties of the trackway. 1 e plate of the ramp, or ground mounted on the projecting ends of ties outside of rail 10. Rising from this base are ears 13 and 14. Journaled. in the ear 13 is a rock shaft 15, on which is a rock arm 16. This rock arm is hinged at 17 to a bar 18,-which is slidably guided at 19 on the 14. The bars 16 and 18 are normally held in position shown, and thus constitute Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Renewed November 13, 1914. Serial No. 872,052. I

a normally stationary ramp, which cooperates with vehicle mechanism, to be hereinafter described. to open the air valve.

To hold the bars 16 and 18 normally stationary, and at the same time allow them to be depressed, should some obstruction on the vehicle require it, I 7 support the joint of these bars by a still spring 20. This spring is mounted in a box or casing 21, secured to the under side of the frame 12. The spring acts upwardly on a shoulder 23 on the plunger 24, at the upper end of which is a, roller 25, hearing against the under sides of the bars 16 and 18 at their joint.

Fig. 1 shows in dotted lines an elevated position of the ramp, and in such position it is adapted to not only open the air valve on the vehicle, but immediately close it, as hereinafter explained. To raise the ramp into this safety position, it is only necessary to rock the rock shaft 15. I have shown in Fig. 1, a rock arm on the rock shaft, connected by a link 31 with a semaphore blade 32 on a suitable staff 33. Accordingly, the rocking of the shaft 15 may not only raise the ramp to safety position, but may simul taneously lower the blade to safety position.- Obviously, the ramp mechanism may be connccted with any semaphore mechanism, and the motive power which operates the blade may raise the ramp.

' Figs. 2 and 3 show a convenient form of locomotive equipment; designed to co-act with a ramp of the type shown in Fig. 1.

In these views, 40 indicates or designates the casing of an air valve having a seat 41. 42 is the plug for such seat, which has a stem loosely socketed in the plunger 44, which is slidahly mounted in the casing 40. A compression spring. 45 surrounds the stem 43, between the head of the stem and a shoulder of the plunger. Accordingly, the spring tends to maintain the plug on the seat. This spring is stronger than the force of the air on the opposite side of the plug.

The valve plug is normally maintained on its seat by reason of the plunger 44 normally abutting the end of a lever 51, which is pivoted at 52 in a vertical slide bar 53. This bar carries at its lower end a roller 54. The lever 51 extends downwardly below the pivot 52, and carries a smallroller 56, operating against the roller 54 on an,

ingly, the two rollers 54 and 56 'co-act to roller 54: rides up on the ramp bar 16. This elevates the slide 53 and carries the head 50 away from the plunger ll, thus freeing the spring 45 and releasing the valve. If the ramp is in the position shown in full line in Fig. 1, the valve remains unseated, and the brake is applied or thil dangersi'gnal given] If the ramp is in safety position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the. slide 53' is ele vated. to open the air valve, and has an additional idle elevation. In this case, however, the ramp is high enough to en age the roller 70 of a resetting slide '71. V] on this slide is elevated, apawl 72 carried thereby engages the arm 73 or e four-armed lever pivoted atv 74. One of the arms 75 of this lever depends and loosely yokes around the plunger 44-, and the swinging of this arm toward the left by the elevation of the slide 71 causes the arm to act on the pin 47 projecting from the plunger 44, and move the plunger to the left and reseat the valve. Accordingly, whenever the ramp is in the elevated position as shown in dotted lines in 1, no'tfonly'is the valve opened but it immediately reset, so that no danger indication is given.

I t isto be understood that the parts described are mounted in a suitable casing, secured at some suitable point on the vehicle. This casing is shown in Figs. 2 and 39s a rectangular box, open at the bottom, and

having a vertical inner wall 80 and an outer wall 81. The valve casing is secured to these walls as illustrated by the screws 82 in Fig. The slides mentioned extend practically from one y'all-to the other, and are slidably V guided thereby. Thus, slide 53 hasprointo grooves 85 in the walls. Similarly, the l 77 for the roller occupies jecting studs 57, occupylng vertical grooves in the walls 80 and 81, and the ournal pin for the roller 54 projects at its ends journal pin I grooves 86 in the walls, and the-slide 71 has near its upper end studs 78 occupying vertical grooves 87. The pawl 72,0}1rried by the slide 71, occupies a recess 79m this pawl,

and is normally pressed into active position by a spr1ng76 hehmdthe pawl. The

. spring 6Q, which acts to press downwardly on the slide 53, presses upwardly at 1ts upper end on the arm 61 of the four-armed lever 73, so-that 'onespring ma act for both the slide and the four-urine lever.

The mechanism describedis effective to v apply'the brake or give a danger indies tion whenever the ramp is in the normal or danger position; it is also effective to prevent such application when the ramp is in the elevated or safety position. For very with a shoulder 91, adapted to high speeds, however, it might result that the resetting slide would act upwardly and seat the valve, and then clear. the ramp bea time latch, which acts on the arm to .hold it temporarily in position wlth the valve closed until the slide 53 shall have em- ;ple'time to return. Thislatch is shown in Fig. 2. It consists ofa dog 90, provided engage the lower end of the arm 7 5, the dog being pivoted to en intermediately pivoted lever 93, the lower end otwhioh is connected by a link 94- with a plunger 95 in a cylinder 96.

This cylinder carries some non-freezing oil.

The do is given a tendency to move upwardly y a spring 97, but is normally held in idle osition by a lug 98 on the lever 51. When the slide 53 rises, the dog 96 is freed, and then as soon as the resetting bar swings the lever 75 toward the left to reset the valve, the shoulder 91 springs upwardly in front bf that lever and prevents its immediate return. The tendency of the lever to return under the action of the spring 60 moves the dog toward the right. This movement, however, is retarded by the oil in the cylinder 96. This oil, gradually leaking past the piston 95, allows the lever 75 to gradually return to normal position, but before this has happened (within a second or two) the slide 53 will have descended to normal position, and it comes into thatposition, its lug 98. will abut the dog 96, and return it to normal position, "freeing the arm 75. As the hcad50 must be in the path of the plunger 44 before the lug. 98 can an gage the dog 90, the valve is effectively held seated. If, however, there should be any undue delay in the return of the slide 53, for example, by reason of the oreakingof the spring 60, the latch 90 will soon release the lever 75,. releasing the valve, and the brake will be applied.

The combination of a timev latch with resetting mechanism is"shown,'descrihed and. claimed broadly in amapplication'of mine If the roller 54 which engages the ramp should accidentally be broken, this will removethe stop for the'roller 56, and the up per portion of the lever 51 will be allowed to 'mgve into the recess 55 in the slide 53, and

ger indication on backward running, I pro-- k .filed September 18,1913, and numbered 790,392.

messes similar to the guiding of the slide 71, and

carrying a roller 101, designed to co-act with the ramp bar 18 in its normal or its elevated position. The slide 100 carries a pawl 102, adapted to co-act with the lever 103, pivotally mounted at 10%, and connected by a link 10!) with an arm 106 of the four-armed lever 73. Accordingly, on backward running, the opening of the valve by the slide battery therefor.

is immediately followed by its closure by the slide acting through the mechanism mentioned to force the plunger toward the left.

t should be noted that the vehicle mechanism described'is so arranged that in case of any breakage, the valve is opened, resulting in a danger application. Accordingly, whenever the engineer passes a ramp and receives no danger application, he is ad vised that the mechanism is in proper worle ing order,

T 0 provide against the contingency of the system being'rendered non-effective by reason of some obstruction on the train depress ing the ramp, and the same being jammed so that it stays down, I provide a circuit controller, operated by the plunger 24, which is designed to throw the adjoining signals to danger. Such circuit controller is shown, described and claimed broadly in Patent No. 1,129,202, issued February 23, 1915, and as there shown, operates to short circuit a controlling relay and also open the Fig. 1 shows such an arrangement of contacts, wherein 111 and 112 are terminals of the short circuiting line.

for the relay, these terminals being normally out of contact, but pressed into con tactwhen the plunger 24% is depressed by reason of the arm 113 thereon, which by this movement rides out of a depression in the terminallll. 115 and 116 are terminals of the battery line which are bridged by an arm 117, carried by the plunger 24. Accordingly, the movement of the plunger removing this bridge opens the battery circuit. This short circuiting and opening of the lines may be effective to cause danger indications at an adjacent signal or signals, thus showing in advance that a certain ramp is out of order.

I claim: I

1. The combination with vehicle mechanism for initiating-a danger indication and mechanism for counteracting such indication before it becomes ehiective, of a device for normally acting on the initiating mechanism and clearing the counter-acting mechanism, said device being'mova-ble into position Where it acts on both mechanisms.

iii;

2, The combination with a vehicle device adapted to initiate the application of a denger indication, and a vehicle device to prevent such application being eliective, of a normally stationary ramp, adapted to ncrmally engage the initiating mechanism and clear the preventing mechanism, and means for moving said ramp into position Wher it engages both mechanisms.

3. T he combination with an air valve on a moving vehicle of a movable member that will open the same, a movable member adapted to close the same, a ramp normally actii'ig on the opening mechanism and clearing the closing mechanism, and means for moving said ramp into position where it acts on both mechanisms.

l. The combination with a p lying and counteracting means on a. vehicle of a ramp composed of a pair of bars l'iinged together, means holding said ramp normally stationary and in the path of the apolving means, and means for swinging one 01 the to change the peak of the ramp and bring it into the path of the counteracting means.

The combination with initiating and counteracting means on a vehicle of a. ramp for operating the same, ramp being normally stationary a d clearing the countel-acting means but engaging applying means, means for moving the ramp into a position to engage both means, and means for enablin the ramp to be displaced by an obstruction on the vehicle, and to automatically return to position thereafter.

6. The combination with a of hinged bars constituting a ramp of means for bold ing them normally stationary, and means for raising them to change the peak of the ramp, and means whereby they may be moved in the opposite direction to clear an obstruction. v

7. The combination of a pair of hinged bars constituting a ramp, means for holding them no molly stationary in an inter mediate pod n, means for movir 1 raise the peak. and a suitable s nected therewith, and concurrentli by such movement.

S. The combination constituting a ramp, means for moving the same in one direction to change the peak of the ramp, means whereby.the ramp may be moved in another direction to clear an obstruction automatically return, and means whereby such clearing movement varies an electric circuit.

9. The combination with brake applying mechanism and mechanism adapted to prechanged ,vent the application being efiective on a a" itidi hoth of SRhl means.

th e valve.

ramp being also movable into position where it will clear an obstruction, means for auto matically rttm-n'ing the ramp when moved into the latter position, and means for controlling an electric circuit by such movement. f

10. The combination. with brake-applying and preventing means on a vehicle of'a normally stationary rump, adapted to co-act with the applying means, and movable to a position where it may co-act with both means, and a signal connected with the ramp and automatically moved to safety when the ramp is moved into position to co-act with ll. The combination with a normally stationary ramp adapted to be elevated, of an air valve on a vehicle, means thereon adapt ed to engage the ramp and inovea variable distance according to the position of theramp but always open the air valve, and means onthe rehiclc'engaging the ramp only when elevated and operating to reset 12-. The combination with a. ramp of a vehicle mechanism having a. slide carrying a roller to engage the ramp. an air valve releasable hy the movement of said slide, a second slide carrying a roller for ramp en- :agement. and mechanism operated by the wond slide to reset the valve.

The combination of an air valve, a plane r therefor; a slide carrying an abutmentfor the plungeiythc slide being movable to release the plunger, a second slide and a lever operated thereby and adapted to engagzjo the plunger lo reset it.

14-. The combination with a valve seat of a plunger therefor, a slide having. anaoutmeat for the plunger a second slide. a lever adapted to he acted on my the second slide and engage the plunger to res nt the valve, and spring lietwcon the first slide and lever.

l5. The con'vhination with an air valve and plunger therefor of an operating slide, an abutn'ient thereon for the plunger, movable y the slide out of the path of the plunger to release the valve. and nu'anq for reseating such valve, and a time latch for holding the reseating mechanism to allow the abutment time to return.

16. The combination of a valve having a plunger, an operating slide having an abutment for the plunger, a rcseating slide; a lever therefor operating on the plunger,

time latch for the. lever, and'rneans on the slide first nientioi'led for releasing the latch. when the abutment returns to normal position.

1'7. The combination with an air valve of an operating slide having a roller, an abntment for'the air valve carried by the slide, and astop for the abutment acting against said roller.

on another armofeaidlever I plunger therefor, an operating slide having a roller, a lever pivoted/on the slide and prosenting an abutment or the plunger, the lever being normally eld in position by ongagement with said} roller 'whreby the breaking of the roller releases-the 'valve.

19. The combination of a valve, an opcrating slide adapted to release the same, two resetting. slides, and. mechanism controlled by said last mentioned slides forresetting the valve, one slide being at the rear of the operating slide and the other in advance thereof.

20. The combination with a normally stationary ramp, adapted t'-.be m v'd, of. a vehicle mechanism having a Va 6, an operating slide adaptedto rcleas thg valve and positioned, to engage the ramp, Whether in normal posit-ion or moved, a resetting slide ii-advance of the main slide adapted to engage the ramp, Whether in lmpmnal p.0- sition or moved. and a resetting slide at the rear of. the main slide, engagiriQthe' ramp only whenmovedf 21. The combinationwith a, V. Ive casing of a plunger therefor, a movlibe member l adapted to release'the plunger; a ,lever"hav.- ing an arm adapted to engagee plungerg l to resct-it,*a resetting device adapted to act e ia o les n" another? reeetting deviceiadapted ft' t: I arm of said lever, said resetting devices be-l mg one in advance of the operating memher and the other at the rearjlthereof.

22. The combination with ,a pair of'hinged hars constituting a ramp, of means for bolding their: normally stationary in an intermediate position forming a peak, means for moving them to raise the peak, and means whereby they may be lowered to clear an obstruction and automatically return to: the intermediate position. T

23. The combination of means on a vehicle for initiating a danger indication, means on the vehicle for preventing such indication, a ramp having an adjustable.

' peak adapted to acton both means on the vehicle or only'one means according to conditions of ea'fetv'or danger.

24-. The combination with means on'a vehicle for initiating a danger indication, means for counteracting such indicationva" ramp adjacent the trackway adapted when in one position to give a danger indication and adapted to be raise'rltoa position where '12; it engages the counteracting means to givo'i a safety indication. p

25. The combination with-a; vehicle -de. vice adapted to apply a danger indication and a vehicledevice adapted to prevent such application, of a device for normally ilctlng on the applying mechanism an'd'clear ing the preventing mechanism, said device being movable into position where it acts 18. The combination or a valve casing, a

on both mechanisms. 130,

26. The combination, with control applying means on a vehicle and means on said vehicle preventing theapplication being effective, of a ramp having an adjustable peak adapted to act on both vehicle means'or on only one'oithc vehicle means according to conditions o1fsaetyor danger.

2?. The combination, with means on a vehicle for applying. a brake means on the vehicle for preventing such aqsipigiga tion, of a ramp having an adjustable peak, means holding said normally stationary and in the path of the applying means, and means for changing the peaicpf the ramp to bring it into the path of the pneyenting means,

- 28. The combination, withme'a'ns on 21 Va hicle for applying a brake and means on the vehicle for preventing such application, of a ramp composed of a pair of bars hinged together, meansholding said ramp normally stationary and in the path of the applying means, and means 1 moving 0116 the bars to change the peak of the ramp and bring it into the path of the preventing means.

29. The combination, with means on vehicle for applying a brake and means on the vehicle for preventing an application of the brake; of a controllable track fixture adapted to act on both vehicle means or on only one of the vehicle means according to $116 position said fixture. 

